Biografía

Armand Thomas

Creation Director

Armand Thomas has had an eclectic and nomadic life, emigrating from Egypt at the age of six to settle in Montreal. A natural storyteller, he never stopped traveling, picking up freelance work as a journalist, film technician, writer, photographer, actor and researcher along the way.

From 1978 to 2001, Armand juggled jobs in the movie industry with work as a reporter/editor. He balanced his wage-earning jobs with stints of intense meandering, hitting the road to offbeat locations with his camera and notebook.

Armand joined Cirque du Soleil in 1996 as props master on the North American tour of Quidam before becoming the show’s General Stage Manager a year later. He followed that with stints on Alegría and for the creation of Varekai. In 2002 he became Production Stage Manager and Assistant to the Directors of Zumanity, staying on as the show’s first Artistic Director following the premiere.

In 2004, Armand was appointed General Stage Manager in the creation of KÀ, and ran the technically complex show during its first year. He left KÀ to become the Production Stage Manager and Assistant to the Director of The Beatles LOVE. His appointment as Creation Director of Viva ELVIS in 2007 marked the synthesis of his talents and his considerable experience.

"Vincent Paterson, the director of Viva ELVIS, and I have an artistic affinity," says Armand. “We work in symbiosis. When Vincent comes up with a creative idea, my role is to ensure we do everything we can as a team to make it happen.”

For Armand, Viva ELVIS pays tribute to Elvis’ unique style and influence on popular culture. “Everything about the show is enormous,” says Armand Thomas, “The size of the stage at CityCenter, the legacy of Elvis, the meaning of what we’re doing. Everything in Viva ELVIS – costumes, scenic elements, acrobatic numbers – is in the image of the King, often larger than life yet still intimate, and supports the narrative of the show."

Armand Thomas was born in Cairo in 1959 and grew up mainly in Montreal, with many points in between.